Child-sex abuse pensioner jailed

Reporter: COURT REPORTER
Date online: 10 February 2012

AN 81-year-old Royton man who sexually abused a child repeatedly when she was aged between five and eight has been jailed for seven years.

James Fairclough’s offences had done psychological damage to the girl and caused her difficulties at school, said the judge at Gloucester Crown Court.

Fairclough, of Harewood Drive, Royton, had denied sexual activity with a child under 12, three charges of assault of a child by penetration and one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The jury unanimously convicted Fairclough of four of the charges and he was cleared of one allegation of assault by penetration.

The offences happened when Fairclough and his wife were visiting a house in Beachley, near Chepstow, where the girl was also a visitor.

Jailing Fairclough, who was of previous good character, recorder Martin Meeke QC told him: “The offences are in the top bracket of the sentencing guidelines provided to the courts.

“There was no lasting physical harm to this girl but I am acutely aware of the psychological damage done. Doing what I can to make allowance for your age and the nature of your offending the sentence is seven years.”

The recorder told Fairclough he will have to sign the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life and he will be precluded from working with children. Fairclough showed no reaction to either the verdicts or the sentence.

Before the recorder passed sentence, Sarah Regan, prosecuting, referred him to a statement from the girl’s mother in which she said: “This has turned my world upside down. It is my worst nightmare come true.”

Ms Regan said that the girl’s family reported it was “as if a significant weight had been lifted from her” after she gave evidence. Defence barrister Antony Longworth said he had to concede that the disparity of ages between Fairclough and his victim and her young age were aggravating features. But he submitted that Fairclough’s great age was a factor the court could take into account to reduce sentence.

At the start of the trial, Ms Regan said the allegations came to light in November, 2010, when the girl became very upset and her mother pressed her to say what was wrong.

“She said she couldn’t tell her mother because it was something that was really bad and she might get into trouble,” the prosecutor said.

“Her mum assured her she would not. The girl said it began with the letter ‘S’ — and she then spelt out the word sex. She went on to tell her mother that the defendant had touched her and she pointed to where.”

Fairclough said he had sometimes slapped the girl for being naughty but he denied ever molesting her.

The jury of five men and seven women took four hours to find him guilty of all but one of the charges.